The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-11-26
The Care of Lamns.

IS particularly important that the
lamps should be carefully looked
after, for there are few things that
make a house look so untidy and TN
inviting as ilIkept lamps. Many
people will not use them in sleeping
rooms, preferring to use the sper-
maceti or wax candies. They claim
that they cannot endure the smell of
the oil, which is particularly often.
sive after the lamp is blown out.
There ia no necessity for lamp
smelling so as to he offensive to any
body; and If 1t is cared for properly
il will not do so. 1t is best when it
can be done to place either lamp or
candle. when blown out, outside Of
the sleeping-room but if there is an
objection to this, and the lamp re-
mains in the room, there should be
no offensive smell from it, nor as
much, if it is well cared for, as from
a candle, and if the room is we'll ven
tilated, the most sensitive organiZa-
tion need not feel any annOyances at
the presence of a lamp in the cham
Der.
One cause for lamps smelling is the
use of poor oil. Never use poor oil
on any account there is only the
difference of few cents In the gal
Ion, and the satisfaction that the best
oil gives outweighs all difference in
price. The oil resembling water most
in appearance. with a slight blush
tinge, is considered the best. An
other and the more common cause Of
the smelling of lamps is the clogging
of the tiny airhOles at the base of the
burner under the cap, and the crust
ing on the inside of the cap. The
airholes may be cleared for a little
while by washing the burner in hot
soap suds, but this will have no effect
on the crust in the cap. 1t will be as
firm as ever. To look at the inside
of the cap there doesn't seem to be
any thing there, for the crust is burnt
on to the brass so evenly and smooth
ly that it is, to all appearances, a part
of the cap. To clean the burner
thoroughly, put it in an old tin which
can be kept for this kind of work,
cover with water, throw in lump of
washing soda the size of walnut,
put on the stove and let all boil to-
gether about ten minutes. Remove
the burner from the water and wipe
dry with an old cloth or paper. If
it has been neglected for any length
of time, on the inside of the cap will
be found the crust so sOftened that a
slight rubbing with the cloth will re-
move it. When thoroughly dried the
burner will be as clean and nice as
when first taken from the store. The
soda very often turns the brass to a
dark lead color, giving it an antique
look which is liked by some; but if
the bright brass is preferred, this may
be restored by rubbing with ammo
mia and whiting. or ashes. If soda
is not convenient boil it in good,
strong soap-suds and it will clean i
very well. If burners are cleaned in
this way once every two weeks,
which is not too often, they will not
get out of order as easily and will
last a great deal longer, besides insur-
ing bright, clear light free from any
offensive odor.
Try and arrange the work so as to
clean the lamps the first thing in the
morning after the breakfast dishes
have been washed and put away, for
if they are left until afternoon, they
are very apt to be forgotten, or, if re-
membered. they get careless, hur-
ried cleaning. Have a pair of scissors
especially for trimming the wicks,
and have them sharp. Dull scissors
are never fit for this work. Lift up
the cap and cut off the wick close to
the fiat tube through which it passes,
and it will be sure to be straight;
then turn up the wick and cut a small
piece from each corner, which, when
the lamp is lit will give a broad,
round-cornered flame. 1t is claimed
by some that chimneys washed in
soap.suds break easier than those
washed in clear water. To obviate
this, if washed in warm soap-suds,
rinse in clear water and there will
be no danger of their breaking. After
rinsing, let drain little while, then
wipe with a soft cloth or a piece of
newspaper. Once in a while wash out
the inside of the bowl of the lamp
with warm soapsuds to clear it of the
sediment of the oil that settles at the
bottom. When trimmed and filed,
wipe we'll, put on the chimney and
turn down the wick just below the
top of the fiat tube. 1t is by leaving
the wick above this that Causes that
little circle of oil around the cap, and |
which vary often flows down fhp mt